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Design and ‘Wow’ Factor Woo iPad Users
Monday, August 30, 2010
Steve Smith

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The lovely interface of Apple’s iBooks, AP News’s visual river of headlines and ESPN’s multimedia-rich apps are the most impressive to early users of the Apple iPad, according to a study by Ball State University’s Center for Media Design. In “A Play Date With the iPad: Real People Experience Apple’s New Tablet,” researchers were after qualitative data about how people respond to the tablet device. A select group was surveyed before and after using the device in their homes. Some came away from the experience more inclined to buy the iPad and some were less inclined. The researchers found that those who appreciated the content consumption and entertainment value of the device were most impressed, but those who expected some degree of productivity were underwhelmed.

Adoption of the iPad seems to rely heavily on proper contextualization of the device. That is, when users found niches of use in their everyday lives where the device made sense, they tended to embrace the idea. The report says:

“The iPad lends itself to cozy, casual settings particularly around the home and on the road. The iPad steps outside the confines of
other screens with its blend of portability, respectable screen size and quality viewing experience, allowing it to nestle into consumers’ lives as a natural companion for relaxation and leisure activities.”

"Some people were skeptical about how good the iPad would be for reading long form content like books or magazines," said Mike Bloxham, director of insight and research for Ball State's Center for Media Design. "Our findings indicate the opposite is true. People talked about curling up with the iPad; they enjoyed the screen and resolution and the portability of it — these things seem to be major selling points."

Researchers found that apps designed to leverage the touch screen and visual strengths of the device appeal to iPad users most, while apps that fail to exploit the technology have no special appeal here. While some users enjoyed the Web browsing experience on the iPad, most preferred an app that converted some of that rich data into a more usable touch-oriented and less cluttered app.

If you have breaking news to share please contact Steve Smith at ssmith@accessintel.com

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